Sharing & Synchronizing files and calendars - the private cloud services of the institute
A presentation by Stefan Schneider 3/17/16 Motivation for providing an institute cloud
● Enables to work flexible with divers mobile devices
● Working at different offices ( PIK / home / official journeys)
● Easy exchange of files ● Calendars reachable from all-around
● Data stay at the PIK
3/17/16 2/49 Independence from location
3/17/16 3/49 Accessing the cloud services https://cloud.pik-potsdam.de
3/17/16 4/49 Reasons for synchronization
● Greater mobility – Easy access to own and shared files for official trips or expeditions
● Data is available from a wide range of kinds of devices ● Staying up to date with synchronized shared team calendars
3/17/16 5/49 Available clients
● Desktop clients: OS X, Windows, Linux ● Mobile file-sync clients: Apple App, Google Play
● Desktop calendar clients: Thunderbird Lightning
● Calendar synchronization via CalDav-Sync to custom calendar-apps
● Further synchronizing Android apps: OwnCloud Bookmarks, ownNote
3/17/16 6/49 Mobile Clients (Android)
3/17/16 7/49 Means of collaboration
● A place for quick exchange of common office data (for papers, E-books, poster, presentations, pictures)
● Collaborative working with shared documents that are synchronized to the computer one is working with
● Survey of dates- creating of team calendars and synchronization to devices with a CalDAV-client
3/17/16 8/49 Details about the institute's cloud
● Available with PIK standard account
● Synchronization of files for Windows, OS X, Linux and Android- and i.*- devices
● File exchange with externals via links
● E-mail-notifications about activities in the cloud ● Currently 5 GB storage in the cloud
3/17/16 9/49 What the cloud is not meant for
● It is no replacement for proper backups ● It is not meant as replacement for the home- filesystem, which can provide a good deal more space
3/17/16 10/49 Owncloud at PIK
Users with more than 10 MB in the cloud (Σ58) Increase of calendar-users (last half year) 70 18 16 60
14 50 s r
12 e s U
40 10 r a d n
8 e 30 l a C
6 f o
20 r
4 e b
m 10 2 u N 0 0 <50MB <100MB <500MB <1GB <5GB <10GB
● 19 of more than 1GB ● Calendar user 65
● 19 of 100 MB to 1GB ● +13 in four months
● 4 of 50 MB to 100 MB ● 40 logins per day
3/17/16 11/49 Desktop Client
● Synchronizes files between a local folder(s) and folder(s) in the cloud ● More than one local folders possible to adapt to synchronization
● Possibility to sync with more than one server
● Client respects rights set by the owner of a share (current version 2.0.2)
3/17/16 12/49 Setting up the desktop client
3/17/16 13/49 Setting up the desktop client
3/17/16 14/49 Define local and remote folders
3/17/16 15/49 Chosing local and remote folders
3/17/16 16/49 Settings view on synchronized folders
3/17/16 17/49 Connect to a second server
3/17/16 18/49 OwnCloud (mobile App)
● Display the overview from Owncloud document root. ● Loads preview when touching a folder
● Downloads a file when touching it
● Multiple server support
● Price 0,79 €
3/17/16 19/49 Possible file actions with OC-Client
● Copy, cut, paste ● Send to other apps
● Share with link (without password)
(version1.8.0)
3/17/16 20/49 Owncloud mobile app
● Deleting files needs verification
● Choice of „local only“ or at server, too
● Version 1.9.0
3/17/16 21/49 Calendars
● Informational Calender for a work group
● Joint calendar - A calendar with all permissions granted, so that each member of a group can create and delete events – requires good communication
● Shared calendars cannot be hidden
● For survey use calendar-clients, which can decide which calendars to be seen
● Sharing only via the web interface
3/17/16 22/49 Sharing calendar events
● In the calendar view shared events appear as one calendar, no matter who shared them ● When shared with all rights it can be „stolen“ by moving to one own calendar
● So better share complete calendars
3/17/16 23/49 Calendar Clients
When to use which approach ● Creating / Sharing calendars in the web-interface ● Using them locally – for better overview Possible clients
● Thunderbird Lightning extension ● CalDAV-Sync for Android
3/17/16 24/49 Calendaring with Thunderbird and Lightning
● Thunderbird is a widespread mail-client ● As add-on Thunderbird contains Lightning as calendaring feature ● Lightning is integrated within Thunderbirdversion 38.0.1
3/17/16 25/49 What can be done with Lightning
● Having local and remote calendars with day, week and month view ● Managing events, tasks, getting notifications
● Make events and sent them as invitations via email
3/17/16 26/49 Integration of PIK-Cloud calendars in Thunderbird/Lightning
3/17/16 27/49 Integration of PIK-Cloud calendars in Thunderbird/Lightning
3/17/16 28/49 Integration of PIK-Cloud calendars in Thunderbird/Lightning
3/17/16 29/49 Synchronized calendars in Lightning
● Working on an own synchronized calendar
● Moving a calendar entry with insufficient rights leads to a copy and the necessity to restart Lightning
3/17/16 30/49 Calendar view from individual calendar app
3/17/16 31/49 CalDav-Client for Android
● Acts as an inter-connector between a calendar app and the cloud server (Calendar and Tasks) ● Specify a time interval for files to sync (reducing traffic) ● One-Way-Sync possible (i.e., synchronize S2C only) ● Synchronization frequency (least possible 1 min) ● Price 2.49 € (independent developer Marten Gajda) (version 0.4.27) 3/17/16 32/49 Synchronization with CalDAV
3/17/16 33/49 Keep awareness of actions in the Cloud Notification in the web- Notification via Mail interface
3/17/16 34/49 Activity Settings
● Mail for actions in the cloud that need awareness
● Stream for actions that need to be logged
● Depending on urgency decide how often mails are send
3/17/16 35/49 Common symbols in the cloud
● ● Versions Edit ● Delete ● Share ● Downloading
3/17/16 36/49 Versioning
● Everytime a file changes versions are kept in these intervals ● 10 s – 2s interval ● 1 min – 10s interval ● 1 h – 1min interval ● 1 d – 1h interval ● 30 d – 1d interval ● Afterwards every week ● „ 50% of the users currently available free“ (User man)
3/17/16 37/49 Deleted Files
● Files remain at server for 90 days when deleted (like move to trash)
● Restorable from „deleted files“
3/17/16 38/49 Security feature at desktop sync client for collaborative work
● Situation: Working at the same file via desktop clients
● Case 1: A change is submitted, synchronization happens while one is working at the file => Warning of the Application „Save anyways? Yes“ => See Versions
● Case 2: Each document has been changed before synchronization takes place => the last client keeps its own version and creates a collision file for the sync
3/17/16 39/49 Sharing possibilities
● Sharing with single user
● Sharing with PIK-defined groups
● Sharing with groups managed by a group administrator ● With externals -> using public upload folders
3/17/16 40/49 Sharing folders/files
● Search for share receiver (given name+surname)
● Setting permissions
41/49 One-to-one sharing
Share with single user
3/17/16 42/49 Sharing with LDAP-group
Share with group (e.g. ITS)
3/17/16 43/49 Upload Folders vs. Shares
upload folder: ● who needs the data shares a folder, those who deliver the data stores them in this folder ● Certain destination needed => Upload Folder
Simple share Rights remain at those who share (overview) ● Share receiver needs to copy the data where it is needed ● Share overview
3/17/16 44/49 Data exchange with externals
● Share with link (remember to set a password)
● Allow Public Upload
● How do I know, that I've got new data? Unfortunately not at all. With OC8 at activity
3/17/16 45/49 Remote view of folder shared by link
3/17/16 46/49 Collaboration with shared document tree
● A project-leader has a working directory which she/he shares with her/his co-workers
● a) to prevent crucial information to be deleted by happen it is recommended to grant all rights but deleting (disadvantage: files cannot be deleted by creator and folder owner)
● b) grant all rights anyways and in case of accidental lost, „deleted files“ can restore them - to become aware of this activity can be used (deleted files)
3/17/16 47/49 Upload duration from home
● Uploading file from home may take some time depending on the contract with the internet service provider! ● Usual maximum upload rate 1000 kbit/s = 125 kB/s => a 5 MB PDF or JPG would need 40s
3/17/16 48/49 Finishing & time for discussions
● Feel free to ask ● Present own use cases, best practices
● Proposals and wishes
● Having a look at the components (live presentation in the front)